Meaning & use
translation
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Meanings
noununcountable
The process of changing words from one language into another.
Grammar: Use without 'a' when talking about the activity in general: 'Translation is difficult.'
Patterns
- translation of something
- translation into a language
The translation of the poem took her months.
He works in translation, turning French novels into English.
Good translation requires more than just knowing two languages.
nouncountable
A piece of writing or speech that has been changed from one language into another.
Grammar: Use 'a' or 'the' with a specific translated text: 'I read the translation.'
Patterns
- a translation of something
- a translation from a language
- a translation into a language
I read the English translation of the novel.
She made a translation of the letter for her boss.
This translation misses some of the original's humor.
noununcountablefigurative
The act of changing something into a different form or state.
Grammar: Often used figuratively: 'the translation of ideas into action.'
Patterns
- translation of something into something
The translation of the plan into reality was harder than expected.
There was a smooth translation of the book from page to screen.
Word forms
| plural | translations |
|---|
Common combinations
- literal translation
- A literal translation often sounds unnatural.
- free translation
- The free translation captured the spirit of the original.
- lost in translation
- The joke was lost in translation and nobody laughed.
- translation of a text
- The translation of the legal text was very precise.
Synonyms and how they differ
- interpretation
- Often used for spoken language, while 'translation' is more common for written texts.
- version
- A less technical word for a particular form of something, not necessarily a different language.
Word family
- translate verb
- To change words from one language into another.
- translator noun
- A person who translates written texts.
- translatable adjective
- Able to be translated.
Commonly confused: translation or transliteration?
translation vs transliteration
Transliteration changes the script (letters) but keeps the same language, while translation changes the language.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'translation' correctly?
Choose one answer.
The correct pattern is 'a translation of something into a language'. Option 2 misses 'of', option 3 misses 'a', and option 4 uses 'for' instead of 'of'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “translation”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.